Alleged Cartel Del Noreste Gun Traffickers Arrested In Undercover Operation On La Sanber

"Sol Prendido" for Borderland Beat

Two suspected firearm traffickers for the Cartel Del Noreste have been arrested in an undercover operation along San Bernardo Avenue, authorities said.

Santiago Arano-Rodriguez and Jennifer Sada were arrested and charged with firearms trafficking.

On April 3, a Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives special agent and an LPD undercover officer carried out the controlled delivery of two 7.62mm Saco MK-43 (M-60) machine guns and two .50 caliber Barrett rifles to a male working for the Cartel de Noreste.

The male was identified as Arano-Rodriguez. Authorities said the delivery occurred in the 5300 block of San Bernardo Avenue. Arano-Rodriguez arrived at the location in a white Ram 3500. A woman identified as Sada arrived at the same time in a Nissan Sentra and parked next to Arano-Rodriguez.

Arano-Rodriguez told the LPD undercover officer that Sada was with him. Arano-Rodriguez then walked over to talk to Sada briefly before returning to the undercover officer. Arano-Rodriguez then showed the undercover officer $15,000 to purchase one .50 caliber rifle, according to court documents.

The undercover ATF special agent arrived and showed Arano-Rodriguez the firearms. Arano-Rodriguez took a video of the four firearms and sent it to his boss, authorities said.

“Arano-Rodriguez told (the undercover ATF special agent) that his boss told him to confirm that all four firearms were there, purchase one .50 caliber rifle, and if the deal went well, his boss would give Arano-Rodriguez the rest of the money to purchase the two machine guns and the other .50 caliber rifle later that day,” states the arrest affidavit.

Arano-Rodriguez told the undercover ATF special agent that the rest of the money had already come across from Mexico and was in Laredo. He then gave the undercover ATF special agent $15,000 and took possession of the Barrett. A tactical team then arrested Arano-Rodriguez and Sada, according to court documents.

Both were taken to the ATF Laredo Field Office for questioning. In a post-arrest interview, Arano-Rodriguez stated that he received a call from his boss, who was identified as a ranking member of the CDN.

Arano-Rodriguez was told to meet a girl by the port of entry to receive money for a firearm pick up. He met with the girl, picked up the $15,000 and went to the 5300 block of San Bernardo to purchase the firearm, the affidavit states.

Arano-Rodriguez then called Sada because she was the person that he gave firearms to during three previous firearm deals that he had conducted for the cartel, according to court documents.

“Arano-Rodriguez stated he knew that the firearms were going to Mexico to prohibited people in CDN and that the money he used to purchase the firearms came from CDN in Mexico,” the affidavit states.

“Arano-Rodriguez stated he knew that he was part of a conspiracy to take firearms to Mexico, and that he knows that such conduct is prohibited.”

Sada also provided a post-arrest statement. She stated she has been involved in acquiring and crossing firearms for the cartel since September. She added she received between $200 and $1,000 each time she helped cross firearms into Mexico, the affidavit states.

Sada added that the last time she crossed firearms, she was paid $800. Sada mentioned that she would cross the firearms herself in her Nissan Sentra or she would rent her car to people to cross the firearms. Then, she would walk across to Nuevo Laredo to drive her vehicle back, court documents state.

Laredo, Texas

Laredo Morning Times